Fred Freeman Jr. of Greensboro found himself the first winner of a $4,000,000 Gold Rush top prize.
Freeman purchased his lucky ticket from Quick Snack on Battleground Avenue in Greensboro.
He claimed his prize Tuesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. He had the option of taking the $4 million as an annuity of $200,000 a year for 20 years or a lump sum of $2.4 million.
He chose the lump sum and, after required federal and state tax withholdings, he took home $1,698,006.
The $4,000,000 Gold Rush game launched in August with three top prizes of $4 million and six prizes of $100,000. Two $4 million prizes and five $100,000 prizes remain to be won.
Ticket sales from scratch-off games make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $725 million a year for education. For details on how $31.9 million made a difference in Guilford County in 2019, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.